festivals: bleech, split festival sunderland, 2014

“We’re Bleech from London and we don’t drink cappuccinos… It’s flat white” responds Bleech’s Jen O’Neill in relation to a jibe delivered onstage by Smoove & Turrell earlier. Bleech, a trio from East London, are the optimum of cool and staged easily the most rip-roaring, captivating set of the Saturday at Sunderland’s Split Festival.

Consisting of Jen O’Neill, bassist Kat O’Neill and drummer Matt Bick; East London’s alternative rock band Bleech treated their head-banging crowd to an array of treats, taking the form of the snarling ‘Here I Am’ and live favourite ‘Love Is Free’. Both tracks taken from their 2014 release ‘Humble Sky’.

Pulsing electricity surged from the female-fronted rock band as both of the extremely talented O’Neill’s, stylishly dressed head-to-toe in black, exerted their energy and creates a stage-presence so commanding, it was impossible to un-glue your eyes from the pair. While the ladies radiated pure power, Bick drilled out precise, hard-hitting drum beats; proving Bleech weren’t just playing Split Festival for ‘something to do’ but were preforming as a unity because their lives depended on it.

Receiving deafening applause after both ‘Mondays’ and ‘Not Like You’, Bleech left their crowd in a swirling storm before graciously jumping down from the tiny stage and out the back door.

After promising the crowd that they’d be back soon as possible the North East is now waiting with bates breath for this intriguing alternative rock trio to return and preform another stunning set.